FROM THE BOOK: “ESSAYS ON THE MUSIC OF IOSIF ANDRIASOV” WRITTEN BY MARTA ANDRIASOVA (MARINA KUDRYASHOVA)

Iosif Andriasov composed the “White Lilies-of-the-Valley” for Soprano
Solo, Children’s Choir, and Piano in 1969. During the summer of that
year, the composer lived and worked at the USSR Composers’ Union Creative Work Home
in Ruza, near Moscow, USSR. His daughter, Maria, who was four years old, picked
flowers from the field and gathered them in a bouquet. The picked flowers,
without water, faded away. Iosif explained to his daughter that she should not
pick the flowers, but leave them in the forest glade for others to see and
enjoy their beauty. Mr. Andriasov composed a piece and presented the topic of
the song to Maya Lapisova, a poetess, who stayed in Ruza during that time, with
a request to write a poem to his music. Maya Lapisova wrote the lyrics, and the
song was completed.

Ландыши наши завяли в пути. Our lilies-of-the-valley faded on
the way. Мы их домой не смогли донести. We could not carry them as far as home. Ландыши на руки грустно легли. The lilies-of-the-valley lay sadly on
our hands.
Лучше б они на поляне росли". It
would have been better if they still blossomed on a glade.”